The distribution of digital audio through the world wide web (Internet) requires a significant amount of data compression. A compact disc (CD) quality song recorded in stereo requires nearly 10 MB of data per minute. Utilizing existing transfer methods available to the typical home user, this amount of data is considered unusable. To combat this, the Internet community has developed several different compression techniques for reducing the amount of data required to construct the audio signal. At the compression requirements, these algorithms are not perfect, resulting in loss of the data and subsequent audio quality degradation.
A specific compression/decompression algorithm is based on MPEG 1, audio layer 3, and is commonly referred to as MP3. An MP3 formatted file contains audio data that has been processed through a compression algorithm. The file can be stored on a computer hard drive, floppy disk, or any other storage medium such as flash RAM cards. The MP3 file format was developed to compress the large amounts of data stored on music CDs to less than one tenth of the original size of the data. The compressed data can then easily be sent over the Internet or stored on computer hard drives, etc. The major problem that arises is in the quality of music that has been compressed and then decompressed for listening.
Even though some enhancement is performed during the decompression of the data in an attempt to reconstruct the music, many of the qualities that make the music interesting or enjoyable are lost. Further, because of the lost data during compression/decompression, the compression/decompression technique cannot be used in many other fields where the lost data may be important (e.g. some teaching techniques, such as speech and listening therapy). Many different attempts to enhance music to improve the quality have been made in the past but each such attempt is directed at a specific problem (generally the attempt deals with improving the response of a specific amplifier) and generally requires specific hardware to solve, or partially solve, the specific problem. Also, because in many instances individuals are receiving the data or music from the Internet, it is difficult to provide a salable technique for improving the decompressed data.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved methods and apparatus/software for the distribution and enhancement of digital compressed/decompressed audio.
Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus/software for restoring decompressed data to substantially its original content.
And another object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus/software for restoring decompressed data to substantially its original content, which apparatus itself can be sold over the Internet or by equivalent means.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods for distributing the apparatus software.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide new and improved methods of distribution for the apparatus/software which provide a recipient the opportunity to try the apparatus software and determine if they believe it is appropriate for them.